"One of the most memorable and emotional books I've read"
Having just paid off the debt on her family home,
Clershing, Sarah Ashton is on her way to London to see her
solicitor after she receives a letter stating that there is
a challenge to her ownership. On the way they are delayed
by the discovery of another body, the thirteenth to be
found drained of blood. After hearing the description of
the suspected murder, Sarah cannot help but wonder if the
man at the edge of the crowd is, in fact, the murderer.
Seeing his hard, unforgiving eyes and a face that is both
attractive and equally repellant, she is sure that he could
kill. As he disappears into the darkness, Sarah dismisses
the idea, but the memory of the man isn't as easy to
forget. Then she sees him a few hours later at a party and
she learns that this is the man that challenges her
ownership of Clershing. Julien Davinoff, vampire, has seen times change, loved
women and watched wars fought and won through the ages.
Growing up a long time ago in what is now known as Bath,
the land that Clershing rests on used to be his. Through
the years he has come back to stash the paintings, jewels
and other items that he's acquired through the ages. After
getting to know Sarah, Julien surprises himself by not
pressing the issue of ownership and giving his word that he
will not renege. The story is just beginning though,
because he is accused of the murders and then kidnapped and
suffers a horrible nightmarish existence that Sarah rescues
him from. Slowly but surely, Sarah steals into his heart,
but their love isn't destined to be. Knowing the adverse
effects, he will not change another person to vampire and
Sarah doesn't have to courage to go through life getting
older while Julien stays the same. They are at a
crossroads and Julien decides that he must move on, leaving
Sarah to a normal life. SACRAMENT, a Regency gothic, is a fantastic novel with a
dark and tortured hero, a heroine who learns to be strong
enough to fight for what she wants and an absolutely heart-
wrenching third act that had me "this" close to sobbing.
The emotions break through the pages and you cannot help
but feel the desperation, anger, wanting and all the other
myriad emotions. The characters are flawed, making them
much more believable and likeable because of it. Sarah is
a great heroine; she grew the most in the story and I
really like seeing heroines who stick up for themselves and
for what they believe in without being silly or foolish.
Talking about asinine characters, Sarah has a friend,
Corina who is spoiled, manic and delusional -- she's a
character that you'll love to hate. I would have liked
Corina to have not been in the story, I realize that she
creates conflict and tone, but I still wished that the
author had used a different catalyst, or given Corina more
depth and dimension. SACRAMENT offers it all - vampires, mystery, torture,
sacrifice, desperation and most of all, a love that you
will follow to the ends of the Earth, a love that you would
die for. This is one of the most memorable and emotional
books I've read this year...or last! Thea Candee © Copyright 2002
For
PNR Reviews
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted January 16, 2002
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What if the man you loved was a vampire? How would you
find the courage to embrace the darkness? Sarah Ashton,
Lady Clevancy, is sure she is a very ordinary person in a
very ordinary Regency England. When her life is invaded by
a mysterious stranger, the long lost owner of the ruined
abbey adjacent to her ancestral lands now accused of serial
murder, she should be appalled, rather than fascinated.
But she finds herself saving the devil himself from danger,
and falling in love in the process. Her love will lead
her across Europe, to the edge of eternity.
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